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During this last cycle of classes before Summer break, I’ve had an ever-growing sense of gratitude (and premature nostalgia) for the students I have worked with this year. I set out in November with confidence that I could provide compelling class concepts -- but was unsure if the studio culture I envisioned would follow. All of the various cohorts in the Fashion, Illustration, and Sculpture classes have exceeded expectations. In the open studio workspace we have experimented, had great successes, and learned how to cope with and contextualize “failures”. Students have been supportive of one another, experienced the joy of innovation, and learned to be okay when inspiration is elusive... Like many teachers in May, I wonder if I will see my students the following year, particularly the older students who are facing the metamorphosis of middle school. That was tough time for me growing up, but also when I began to lean on my creative practice for comfort and confidence. Enrichment centers like Cloudland may organically lose their appeal as students grow older, but I hope I have been able to impart the value that creative community can have on a well-rounded life. We will have one final exhibition to celebrate our accomplishments this Saturday, May 30th from 2 to 5pm. This Illustration studio session has made some really knockout work, and a second mannequin look has been designed by the Tuesday fashion lab. The previous serssions’ exhibition has been added to the online Gallery, I’m especially delighted by the shadow boxes from mixed media sculpture... Fall classes are scheduled to start the first week of September. The class themes and days will be the same, with some alterations to illustration concepts and sculpture mediums. I will launch registration at the beginning of August, with plenty of notice via this newsletter and emails to former student families. Thank you for being apart of this inaugural year, I hope students have learned as much from me as I have from them. Happy Summer,
Beth Tisthammer
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